Metal doorframes



Sept. 20, 1955 R. GoLDBl-:RG

METAL DOORF'RAMES Filed Aug. l2, 1954 ATTORNEY United States Patent2,718,291 METAL DOORFRAMES Ralph Goldberg, Denver, Colo. ApplicationAugust 12, 1954, Serial No. 449,351

6 Claims. (Cl. 189-46) This invention relates to one-piece metaldoorframes; and more particularly, to one-piece metal doorframes of thetype used with dry-wall plaster board.

The high-cost, custom-built home of a few years ago is rapidly beingreplaced by the low-cost housing development home which `can be builtmore rapidly and `m-ore inexpensively than heretofore possible. Modernhousing developments have been made possible by low-cost constructionmaterials and low labor costs even in View of the general upward trendin these items. Todays builder is constantly on the lookout for ways ofimproving his homes while keeping his expenses at a minimum. Also,modern design which emphasizes simple smooth lines has iniluenced thedevelopment of many of the present construction materials and methods.

Two of these materials which are finding ever wider public acceptanceare metal doorframes and dry-wall plaster board walls. Both drywallconstruction and metal dcorframes lend themselves quite well -todevelopment housing because of their low initial cost and the smallamount of labor time which is necessary to install them. Theconventional one-piece metal doorframe, however, has certaindisadvantages, especially when used with drywall plaster board, whichhave been overcome by the onepiece metal doorframe of the presentinvention.

Among these disadvantages are the fact that the metal frame Ycannot beattached to the door buck forming the wooden doorframe rigidly enough toenable the door to be hung properly therein and to prevent marring anddenting of the frame. Also, channels are needed Vat the sides of theframe to -receive the thickness of the plaster `board and hide any`uneven `edges which would show in the conventional door jamb. Further,if simple modern lines are to be maintained a single .thickness of metalis all that should be visible.

Among the objects ofthe present invention are to provide; a one-piecemetal door fraine lformed with channels on ,the sides to receive theuneven edges of .a .piece `of dry-wall plaster board; agmetal doorframehaving a "central channel portion sized to fit tightly and snugly aroundthe door buck and having a double thickness of metal along the sides ofthe buck in order that the frame may be more rigidly attached thereto; adoorframe having a single thickness of metal visible when in place onthe wooden doorframe; and a one-piece metal doorframe of the typedescribed herein which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture,decorative in appearance, rapidly and easily installed on a woodendoorframe, and ideally suited for use with conventional dry-wall plasterboard.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed outspecifically hereinafter in connection with the description of thedrawing which follows; and in which:

Figure l is a transverse section of one of the vertical doorframemembers of the present invention showing it secured in place to a roughdoor buck between two drywall plaster board sections; and in which, thelatch side of a door is shown in closed position against the door stoprib;

Figure 2 is a transverse section similar to Figure l of lthe oppositevertical frame member taken through the portion having the hinge recess;and in which, a conventional door hinge is shown with a door securedthereto in ,closed position;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the portion of thevertical frame member having the hinge recesses therein and the mannerin which it is connected to the horizontal frame member;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the vertical frame memberhaving the strike plate recess therein; and,

Figure 5 is a transverse section taken along line 5- 5 of Figure 4.

The one-piece metal doorframe of the present invention consists ingeneral of three pieces, all of which have identical cross-sections withthe exception of the hinge recesses and strike plate recess formed inthe vertical frame members. The first of these is a vertical framemember indicated in a general way by numeral lll, and shown particularlyin Figures l, 4 and 5, which Vhas a strike plate recess 12 embossed intothe metal forming the frame. The second vertical frame member indicatedin a general way by numeral 14, and illustrated in Figures 2 and 4, ispositioned in the door opening opposite frame member 10 and containshinge recesses 16 embossed therein. The third piece necessary tocomplete the doorframe is horizontal frame member 18 which extendshorizontally across between the upper ends of verti- V.cal frame members10 vanti V14, and is shown in Figure 3 joined to frame member 14.

v Vertical frame member 10 in Figure l, and horizontal frame ymember 18in Figure 3, show the cross-section of the frame members most clearly.Each of lthe frame members consists of a single 4sheet of metal formedinto a lateral web v20 having a width substantially equal to the widthof ythe door buck 2,2 and terminating in spaced parallel side edges 24.A door stop rib 26 may be formed in ,the lateral web extending outwardlytherefrom and dividing said lateral web into door receiving Surfaces 28and 35). vThe frame members may be formed .with or without the door stoprib depending upon whether a door is to be hung in the metal doorframe.Inner flanges 32 extend rearwardly substantially at right angles to thelateral web from each side edge 24 thereof and terminate in spacedparallel rear edges 34. The single sheet of metal ,is then reverselybent along rear edges `34 of the inner flanges to form o uter flanges 36which extend forwardly against `the outer face of the inner anges andterminate in spaced parallel forward edges 38 lying behind the :sideedges 2.4 of the lateral web. Lateral web 2 0 and inner flanges 32 forma channel 40, shown most clearly in Figures 3 and 5, sized to receivethe width of :the ,door buck .2.2 with the .inner .flanges lying alongthe sides of the buck and the lateral web lying along the forward facethereof. A plurality of aligned openings 42 extending through the innerand outer flanges are provided for fastening the frame members to thedoor buck by suitable fastening means 44. It is to be noted that thedouble thickness of metal formed by inner and outer flanges 32 and 36 isnot exposed but lies between the door buck 22 and the dry-wall plasterpanels 46. Thus, only a single thickness of metal is exposed to View. Ofeven greater importance is the fact that a double thickness of metal isprovided for fastening the frame members to the door buck which enablesthe metal doorframe of the present invention to be connected much morerigidly to the wooden doorframe than is possible with the conventionalmetal doorframes. If desired, the inner and outer flanges may be bentinward slightly when formed as shown in Figure 5 in order to insure atight fit on the door buck. Of course, when the anges are in positionalongside the door buck they will be substantially parallel to oneanother and perpendicular to the lateral web.

Side webs 48 extend outward laterally from the forward edges 38 of theouter flanges and terminate in spaced parallel outside edges 50. Theside webs preferably extend laterally in a plane parallel to the planeof the lateral web 20 a distance substantially equal to the thickness ofa dry-wall plaster board panel. The frame members terminate in sidefaces 52 extending rearwardly substantially parallel to the outer andinner flanges from the outside edges 50 of the side webs 48. The sidefaces lie along the outside face of the dry-wall plaster board panels 46and act in conjunction with the side webs and the outer flanges to formchannels 54, shown most clearly in Figures 1, 2 and 5, to receive thethickness of a piece of dry-wall plaster board 46. Any uneven edges onthe plaster board panel will be completely hidden within the channel.Also, side faces 52 leave only a single thickness of metal showing onthe outside face of the plaster board panel and a coat of paint or twowill make it very difficult to tell where the plaster board ends and thedoorfrarne begins, thus blending the doorframe into the wall.

In Figures l and 2 an interior door 56 is shown swung into closedposition against door stop rib 26 and door receiving surfaces 30.Figures 2 and 3 show the hinge recesses 16 embossed into door receivingsurface 3l). Screw openings 58 are provided in the hinge recesses toreceive screws 6l), by means of which, hinges 62 are fastened to thedoorframe. The hinges are screwed directly to the door buck therebygiving adequate support to the door 56. It is to be noted that side webs48 lie spaced behind the outer face of the lateral web a sufcientdistance to provide room for the portion of the hinge 62 containing thepin.

Figures 1, 4 and 5 illustrate the manner in which the strike platerecess 12 is embossed into door receiving surface 30 of the lateral web.It is to be understood that the hinge recesses, strike plate recess anddoor stop rib are intended as refinements of the doorframe constructionillustrated herein as many instances arise wherein no door is to bemounted in the frame thereby making these elements unnecessary, in whichcase they may be omitted. In the wooden frame construction illustratedin the drawing it is necessary to either mortise the door buck toreceive the hinge and strike plate recesses in the vertical framemembers or leave sufficient space between the rear face of the lateralweb and the forward face of the door buck to accommodate them. However,it is advisable to mortise the buck in order that the lateral web maylie in contact with the face of the buck. A rough mortise is all that isnecessary as the mortised portion is completely covered by the framemembers.

Figure 3 illustrates the way in which the vertical frame members jointhe horizontal frame member. The entire doorframe can, of course, bePrefabricated to t a given door opening with the hinge and strike platerecesses properly positioned within the frame, depending on how it isdesired that the door swing. Also, the side of the doorframe on whichthe door hinges may be changed by merely switching the position of thevertical frame members. Furthermore, the door may be hung on the sameside of the doorframe, but on the opposite side of the door stop rib, bymerely inverting the vertical frame members and cutting them at the topto form a proper joint with the horizontal frame member.

From the foregoing description of the drawing it will be seen that themany useful and novel objects sought to be achieved by the metaldoorframe construction of the present invention have been attained; andtherefore, I claim:

1. A one-piece metal doorframe for use with drywall plaster board as amoulding over a wooden doorframe of the type having a rectangular doorbuck, comprising a single sheet of metal formed into a lateral webhaving a width substantially equal to the width of the door buck andterminating in spaced parallel side edges, inner flanges extendingrearwardly at substantially right angles to the lateral web from eachside edge thereof and terminating in spaced parallel rear edges, outerflanges extending forwardly against the outer face of each inner angefrom the rear edge thereof and terminating in spaced parallel forwardedges lying in the rear of the side edges of the lateral web, side websextending outward laterally from the forward edges of the outer flangesand terminating in spaced parallel side faces extending rearwardlysubstantially parallel to the outer and inner anges, said lateral weband inner flanges forming a channel sized to receive the width of thedoor buck, and said outer flanges, side webs and side faces formingchannels sized to receive the thickness of a piece of dry-wall plasterboard.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the side webs extendoutward laterally parallel to the lateral web.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2 in which the lateral web isprovided with a door stop rib extending outwardly therefrom and dividingsaid lateral web into two door receiving surfaces.

4. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the metal doorframe issymmetrical about the door stop rib.

5. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the lateral web isprovided with at least two hinge recesses on the same side of the doorstop rib.

6. A device in accordance with claim 3 in which the lateral web isprovided with a strike plate recess positioned at the side of the doorstop rib.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

